Ask the Readers: Do You Use Business Cards? (Special $100 Giveaway)

Editor's Note: Congratulations to our first prize winner, Aaron L, and our second and third place winners, Guest and Emily.

Business cards are one of the most important networking tools. Professionals, job seekers, freelancers, and even students have used business cards to advance their careers. Whether you hand them out to clients or prospective employers, a tasteful business card provides people with a great first impression.

Do you use business cards? If yes, how do you use them? If no, why not?

Tell us if you use business cards and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card or two sets of die-cut business cards courtesy of our sponsor UPrinting.com.

Prizes: $100 Amazon Gift Card & Two Sets of Die-Cut Business Cards

This week we will be giving away thee prizes:

First Place:$100 Amazon gift card

Second and Third Place: Each will get a set of 250 die-cut business cards courtesy of UPrinting.com. Winners of the business cards can choose among UPrinting.com's available die-cut shape and sizes and cardstock option. Standard turnaround time and shipping applies (no shipping charges). Restricted to people 18 years and above, US residents only. Check out these beautiful samples.

How to Enter:

You can enter 3 different ways:

Comment Entry. Answer this question in the comments below: "Have you used business cards? If yes, how do you use them? If no, why not?"

If you do all 3 things you get 3 entries into the contest. Maximum 3 entries per person. Be sure to always include your email when leaving a comment.

Giveaway Details:

Contest ends Monday, January 16th at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after January 16th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.

You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking UPrinting.com's Facebook update, and once by tweeting.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.

You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Good Luck!

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Here's a sample of the kind of beautiful cards created using UPrinting.com:

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Yes, I use business cards, although the information on mine is actually outdated.

I believe their primary value is to formalize a relationship where both parties can contact each other for help. If you're a vendor and you give me a card -- if I give you one back... it means I've accepted the fact that we may be doing business together.

Once I've entered the information on your card into my contacts list -- I'm done with your card. If there was a way to do that easier -- it'd be a better card.

That would be cool if there were an easier way to get information from a card into a contact list.

Tiffany #6

I am a SAHM so I don't use business cards anymore but I did when I was working. Several of my SAHM friends have them printed up with their personal info on them so they can give it out when needed or send it with their kid for emergency purposes.

Yes I do use business cards. I started almost a decade ago. I give them to potential contacts in business as well as social situations and I have changed jobs/titles several times since I started handing them out.

I use business cards! I have an etsy shop, and I also sell my handmade items offline, mainly by word-of-mouth. Having a full-color photo card does me a world of good - not only do people know where to find me, but it’s an attractive little item they’re less likely to throw away, and it communicates my aesthetic. I always clip two to the invoice when I ship orders, so customers can have one to keep and one to pass on.

They’re also useful for the conversations that strike up when buying supplies: “Oh, what are you making?” I can hand them a card so they can see for themselves, and maybe it’ll lead to something – it has before. Every time I’m asked, “Do you have a card?” and I don’t have one on me, I mentally kick myself.

When I have the money – i.e. not right now – I’ve found it helpful to have more than one design on hand, so I can allow people to choose which one to take. It’s like having a miniature portfolio to hand, but less off-putting and more businesslike than whipping out a bunch of photos like an accordion fold full of grandkids. :)

I often use specially designed business cards when I'm coming out with a new novel or a nonfiction book. I write both fiction and nonfiction. I find that business cards are an excellent way to introduce readers in my region to my books. I developed this card idea while writing my book titled "How to Promote Your Home Business."

Being the Manager of WeightTraining.com, I use business cards every day. Many times I cannot meet people face to face, so a business card attached to a WeightTraining.com T-shirt can go a long way. After all, it is all about leaving a lasting impression. Business cards (done correctly) can be a great way to do that. I think it would be cool to have a place where everyone would submit business cards, and we could all vote for the coolest or something. Just an idea. :)

I use business cards when I teach beading or sell my beaded jewelry. I use business more when I am promoting the no-kill animal shelter that I volunteer for, since it has all the information on it that people need to have in dealing with all of our programs. It is very helpful!

I have used business cards to promote myself and my company to other professionals and to keep in touch with people I've recently networked with. The company provides all employees with a basic set of cards that include all contact information. However, I recently stopped using them because I learned that most people contacting me were looking for information that required me to refer them to another employee, usually my manager or the President of the organization. I'm currently trying to figure a way to combine the promotion of MY abilities and usefulness as an individual with the usefulness of the company. Probably won't accomplish that unless I have TWO sets of business cards.

I'm new to the corporate world, but have found out that I'm way behind. When introduced to new people, they gave me their card so I could get back in touch with them. I had to way to return the favor and give them my info so they could reach me since I was new. I'm sure once I get them though, I'll be handing them out left and right.

When was the last time you saw a Rolodex? Business cards are becoming victims of the digital age. I've had business cards printed. I give them to current and prospective clients, obviously, but I've found that most of my business originates as a referral from satisfied clients who simply emailed my contact information to family and friends.

No, I do not currently use business cards for my full time job since they do not issue them out to every employee. However, I would use business cards for free lancing photography for easier booking and appointments. I feel it would help so much as I am barely starting and therefore don't have the funds to consider business cards.

I work at a university, so it's pretty standard for most people to use business cards. However, I rarely hand mine out. They get the most use when I go out to eat somewhere that has a business card drawing for free food!

I use my business cards to make and maintain contact with other colleagues in the field. Before I had a business card, I exchanged them at conferences to make contact with persons in my desired field. I also made notes on the back of the card so that I could keep up with where I met the person whose card I had.

I use business cards. I have two different ones - my business and my personal card. I designed my business card for a small startup (there are only two of us), so it is nice to have it during client meetings to make sure that I will make a lasting impression on all professionals that I meet. In addition, I bring it to trade conferences and the like, in case I meet somebody who may be a strategic future business partner.

I bring the personal cards everywhere else. Especially when I volunteer, I like to be able to give out my contact info without bringing my business life into the situation. I think that my job does not define who I am, so it seems inappropriate to give out a card labeled with my business for personal use. Therefore, personal card.

I used them a lot more when I was job hunting. I'm a teacher, so I don't really network. I mostly just give them out so people have my phone number. The ones I got are very cute and get lots of compliments.

I have used business cards from time to time, when it was needed for the type of job I had--meeting people regularly, giving people a way to contact me in the future, etc. Right now, I don't have a lot of business interaction with people in person--mostly do my work through the internet--so I don't currently use them.

For the office: I use business cards as a standard way for people to know how to reach out to me, and the cards I receive in exchange are used to help me remember who I've met, when, and what we talked about. Once we've parted ways, I write important tidbits about the person, dates, etc. on the the back of the card and file it away.

Outside the office: I don't use them so much for my own personal information, but I'm sure I could put them to great use for ventures unrelated to my current employment...it's all about upward movement, right?!

I have business cards printed but hardly ever use them. I got married 9 months ago and didn't change my name on the cards, so it always seems silly to cross off the old last name and write the new one. I should really get on reprinting those...

I use business cards for the local chapter of my nursing organization. The organization is the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), and the local chapter is Volusia - Flagler. The card is a bright red orange which is the color of the sun in our logo, and the print including the logo is bold black. The card also has our meeting dates, which are the second Tuesday of the month and a invitation to join us. The card has been well received by individuals as well as national. I believe branding and logo recognition is key to getting the word out about your product.

I don't use business cards at this time because I'm in a temporary job just through June, and I only work with data at my desk or in the office, so I never meet anyone who would need my professional contact information.